Colorado rider about to start the emtb journey

A

ArtMTB

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Hey folks! I've been riding MTBs for the last 6 years and pretty excited to get my first e-MTB. I've lurked on this forum for a while learning and I've done a bunch of demos, I rode a Pivot Shuttle SL, Mondraker Dune, and Levo Gen 4 on trails. Looking at the full power category for long days on Colorado mountains, right now my top bikes are:

  • Mondraker Crafty
  • Levo Gen 4
  • Transition Regulator CX
Curious if there's anything missing on my list, and I'd be happy to hear some thoughts. Mostly looking for something with 160mm front travel or less, nothing truly enduro. Battery life matters way more to me than weight as long as the weight is sub-55 lbs. Probably looking to buy my bike around mid-April so if there's any new releases, I can be patient.
 
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irie said:
55lb = 25kg

If you have a LBS what do they sell? (because you might sometimes need their support).
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Near me, there's Mondraker, Druid, Commencal, Ibis, Pivot, Specialized, Trek, Santa Cruz, and probably a few other brands I'm forgetting. I'm in Denver, so most US brands have dealers here.
 
ArtMTB said:
Near me, there's Mondraker, Druid, Commencal, Ibis, Pivot, Specialized, Trek, Santa Cruz, and probably a few other brands I'm forgetting. I'm in Denver, so most US brands have dealers here.
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Well that's great. Personally I would buy a bike from a dealer with a good local reputation and with a motor that can be repaired. Have 4 year old alloy Trek Rail with Bosch motor 5,000 miles and never needed to use warranty so obviously I am biased.
 
Of those, I'd go with the Levo. The Levo is a great bike but also has a large Specialized dealer network and they are good. I currently ride both MTB and eMTB and my ebike is a Pivot Shuttle AM and mainly because I got a decent deal through a dealer I know. He is also a Specialized dealer now so my next one may be a Levo or a Yeti. I can climb 4K-5K on the main battery of the Pivot. I have an extender. I'm also in CO- near Morrison.
 
Excellent. I really like Pivots, enjoyed riding the SL. Probably one of the dealers I may end up buying from. Thanks for the advice!
 
ArtMTB said:
Excellent. I really like Pivots, enjoyed riding the SL. Probably one of the dealers I may end up buying from. Thanks for the advice!
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The AM is a nicer bike than the SL. Of the folks in my core riding crew, three of us are on the latest AM. Four ride last year's AM. It's a nice bike.
 
I know a couple of good dealers. I always like to first buy local and often do but sometimes, the dealers I know give me awesome deals so I buy from them (I buy too many bikes needlessly and am trying to slow down). Of ebikes in general, I lean towards Specialized, Pivot, and Yeti. They have really good dealer support here. Trek does as well. Revel...starting to now.
 
I would definitely visit the Santa Cruz dealer to see the SC Vala. That bike is very similar to the Regulator CX on your original list. I’m also in strong favor of Local Support. The Regulator and Vala come with integrated 600Wh, and a possible 250Wh Range Extender. In time, weight does make a difference, if you’re not always going for the long ride, you’ll be happy not to carry the extra battery weight all the time. Bosch motor is second to none, very quiet, reliable and powerful. My 2 cents. Cheers!
 
ArtMTB said:
Hey folks! I've been riding MTBs for the last 6 years and pretty excited to get my first e-MTB. I've lurked on this forum for a while learning and I've done a bunch of demos, I rode a Pivot Shuttle SL, Mondraker Dune, and Levo Gen 4 on trails. Looking at the full power category for long days on Colorado mountains, right now my top bikes are:

  • Mondraker Crafty
  • Levo Gen 4
  • Transition Regulator CX
Curious if there's anything missing on my list, and I'd be happy to hear some thoughts. Mostly looking for something with 160mm front travel or less, nothing truly enduro. Battery life matters way more to me than weight as long as the weight is sub-55 lbs. Probably looking to buy my bike around mid-April so if there's any new releases, I can be patient.
Click to expand...

Aside from cost, the most important determinant is the type of trail you want to ride. Your top choices include one 29'er and two mixed. The 29'er will be more efficient/fast on level and ascending sections; the mullets will be more maneuverable, particularly going downhill.

I ride Transition Regulator SX and Pivot Shuttle SL/AM and both are very capable. I take the Regulator to bike parks for the cornering and jumps/drops; favor the SL/AM for longer climbs or stretches of level trails. Along the Front Range, the Bosch SX provides ample power for everyday riding, but the CX would be helpful for sustained climbs or keeping up with riders on full-power bikes. Since you're in Denver, you might want to take advantage of Yeti (LTe for full power) and Revel (Rerun) demo rides in Golden.
 
I thought I was having a problem with my Pivot (it was actually fine) so I took it to Pedal of Littleton and they did want to see the receipt for warranty issues but were great. It was just a loose cassette ring causing noise. I have done 4,700 ft with my Pivot...that is rare right now. With the extender I can prob get to 6K if needed. Mine has a 750 WH battery. The new one is 800 and a denser battery so probably more range. Weight is around 51 lbs depending on scale. I prefer lighter bikes in the 40-43 lb range like the Levo SL but am very used to it now and my range is far better.
 
jeanmarc said:
I would definitely visit the Santa Cruz dealer to see the SC Vala. That bike is very similar to the Regulator CX on your original list. I’m also in strong favor of Local Support. The Regulator and Vala come with integrated 600Wh, and a possible 250Wh Range Extender. In time, weight does make a difference, if you’re not always going for the long ride, you’ll be happy not to carry the extra battery weight all the time. Bosch motor is second to none, very quiet, reliable and powerful. My 2 cents. Cheers!
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Thanks! I'll give it a try. Historically I didn't like the Santa Cruz geometry but I'll remain open-minded, the Vala does look great.
 
MTcycler said:
Aside from cost, the most important determinant is the type of trail you want to ride. Your top choices include one 29'er and two mixed. The 29'er will be more efficient/fast on level and ascending sections; the mullets will be more maneuverable, particularly going downhill.

I ride Transition Regulator SX and Pivot Shuttle SL/AM and both are very capable. I take the Regulator to bike parks for the cornering and jumps/drops; favor the SL/AM for longer climbs or stretches of level trails. Along the Front Range, the Bosch SX provides ample power for everyday riding, but the CX would be helpful for sustained climbs or keeping up with riders on full-power bikes. Since you're in Denver, you might want to take advantage of Yeti (LTe for full power) and Revel (Rerun) demo rides in Golden.
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Very good point regarding wheel size, thank you. I like a dual 29er on my trail bikes for roll-over but with the extra power, I might be okay with a mullet setup.

Unfortunately for me, I really didn't like the SX motor. It chewed through the battery and felt very disconnected from my pedaling when I tried it. I'm interested in trying the new TQ motor though, a lighter bike would be nice as long as the battery would last for a 3-4 hour ride.
 
ArtMTB said:
Hey folks! I've been riding MTBs for the last 6 years and pretty excited to get my first e-MTB. I've lurked on this forum for a while learning and I've done a bunch of demos, I rode a Pivot Shuttle SL, Mondraker Dune, and Levo Gen 4 on trails. Looking at the full power category for long days on Colorado mountains, right now my top bikes are:

  • Mondraker Crafty
  • Levo Gen 4
  • Transition Regulator CX
Curious if there's anything missing on my list, and I'd be happy to hear some thoughts. Mostly looking for something with 160mm front travel or less, nothing truly enduro. Battery life matters way more to me than weight as long as the weight is sub-55 lbs. Probably looking to buy my bike around mid-April so if there's any new releases, I can be patient.
Click to expand...
Another brand/model that might interest you, is the Orbea Rise. I too am in Colorado. My 2023 H10 weighs in at 46 pounds and I’m coming up on 4000 miles without any problems. The “M” (carbon) series models are a bit lighter than the “H” (aluminum) models. The newer ones have larger capacity batteries and full power motors.

IMG_1343.webp
 
ArtMTB said:
Very good point regarding wheel size, thank you. I like a dual 29er on my trail bikes for roll-over but with the extra power, I might be okay with a mullet setup.

Unfortunately for me, I really didn't like the SX motor. It chewed through the battery and felt very disconnected from my pedaling when I tried it. I'm interested in trying the new TQ motor though, a lighter bike would be nice as long as the battery would last for a 3-4 hour ride.
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I demo'ed the Yeti MTe with the HPR 60 motor back-to-back with Shuttle SL/AM (with the Bosch SX when it was still limited to 55 Nm - it now peaks at 60 Nm with the firmware upgrade) and the TQ was markedly underpowered; there would be no comparison to the Bosch CX. Regarding the difference between full 29" and mixed, I typically run the Bosch at one higher power level when riding the mullet.
 
For me, the first thing an eMTB needs to do is be able to climb over 4,000 ft on the main battery. Without that, it is simply a no-go for me. Anyway, a buddy and his GF just went demo-ing a bunch of eMTBs. They liked the Levo the best of the full power bikes and the handling of the Levo SL of the lighter and lower-power bikes. They did not like the suspension of the Vala but they may also not like the firmer suspension my my Pivot. So they narrowed it down to the Levo or the Levo SL. She would struggle lifting the Levo onto the bike rack and probably not be able to handle the weight of the Levo (short legs) so they went with the Levo SL.

As for me, I do not need much power. I have my lowest mode on the Pivot turned down to 60 NM and -5 (lowest level) of Assist. I think the Pivot handles pretty well. I'm waiting for the lighter bikes that still have awesome range...then I will get one of those.
 
F4Flyer said:
For me, the first thing an eMTB needs to do is be able to climb over 4,000 ft on the main battery. Without that, it is simply a no-go for me. Anyway, a buddy and his GF just went demo-ing a bunch of eMTBs. They liked the Levo the best of the full power bikes and the handling of the Levo SL of the lighter and lower-power bikes. They did not like the suspension of the Vala but they may also not like the firmer suspension my my Pivot. So they narrowed it down to the Levo or the Levo SL. She would struggle lifting the Levo onto the bike rack and probably not be able to handle the weight of the Levo (short legs) so they went with the Levo SL.

As for me, I do not need much power. I have my lowest mode on the Pivot turned down to 60 NM and -5 (lowest level) of Assist. I think the Pivot handles pretty well. I'm waiting for the lighter bikes that still have awesome range...then I will get one of those.
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I totally agree about elevation. Anything less than 4k feet and it probably can't do two laps, or even one big lap.

My friend and I rented a Levo Gen 4 and a Levo SL. His Levo SL was at 10% while my Gen 4 had over 53% battery at the end of the ride, and I rode it all in auto while he was in eco most of the time. That's the kind of battery life I want in my ebike. I didn't ever need turbo although I'm sure auto switched into turbo a few times. I'm sure my opinions will change over time riding and I may even buy another ebike to fill that lightweight space.
 
F4Flyer said:
For me, the first thing an eMTB needs to do is be able to climb over 4,000 ft on the main battery. Without that, it is simply a no-go for me. Anyway, a buddy and his GF just went demo-ing a bunch of eMTBs. They liked the Levo the best of the full power bikes and the handling of the Levo SL of the lighter and lower-power bikes. They did not like the suspension of the Vala but they may also not like the firmer suspension my my Pivot. So they narrowed it down to the Levo or the Levo SL. She would struggle lifting the Levo onto the bike rack and probably not be able to handle the weight of the Levo (short legs) so they went with the Levo SL.

As for me, I do not need much power. I have my lowest mode on the Pivot turned down to 60 NM and -5 (lowest level) of Assist. I think the Pivot handles pretty well. I'm waiting for the lighter bikes that still have awesome range...then I will get one of those.
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One plus of the Levo is that you can quickly remove the battery (9.7 lbs) reduce its weight when loading the bike. I remove mine and store in in the car while transporting the bike.
 
That easily-removable battery is a really nice thing...for some sort of security but also for those who live in a colder climate where taking the battery out to store inside the home would be smart.
 
I called C3 Bike Shop in Golden yesterday, it sounds like they may have some Craftys in my size. The Crafty battery is removable too I think.
 
ArtMTB said:
Hey folks! I've been riding MTBs for the last 6 years and pretty excited to get my first e-MTB. I've lurked on this forum for a while learning and I've done a bunch of demos, I rode a Pivot Shuttle SL, Mondraker Dune, and Levo Gen 4 on trails. Looking at the full power category for long days on Colorado mountains, right now my top bikes are:

  • Mondraker Crafty
  • Levo Gen 4
  • Transition Regulator CX
Curious if there's anything missing on my list, and I'd be happy to hear some thoughts. Mostly looking for something with 160mm front travel or less, nothing truly enduro. Battery life matters way more to me than weight as long as the weight is sub-55 lbs. Probably looking to buy my bike around mid-April so if there's any new releases, I can be patient.
Click to expand...
Check out the Amflow Carbon PL Pro. Has tons of power and an 800wh battery. I just purchased it last week and it's my first eMtb after over 30 years of mountain biking. The initial power settings were way too high so I lowered them considerably. They are coming out with the 2nd generation in a month or so. I test rode the Shuttle SL and thought it was great in the trails however I have read about issues with the motor with many having to replace it. The Amflow has a screen and an app where you can change the motor characteristics easily. Not available on the Shuttle SL.
 
I've just bought my first ebike which is a Trek Rail+ 9.7 in the UK.

Key considerations for me were local dealer, price, Bosch or Avinox motor. i looked at lots of bikes inc Spec Levo, Amflow, Megamo Reason, Orbea, Santa Cruz Vala plus some other and in the end the Trek edged it with lots of good factors:
Local shop so good dealer support and they gave me a reduced price
Reliable and powerful Bosch motor with a good battery life especially if you get it in eco or tour mode (plus you can add the range extender) plus dealer support everywhere
Carbon main and ali rear triangle
Good basis for upgrades (Zeb 38) and Shimano drive train
Mullet from the factory (good choice as already buzzing the back wheel on steep descents) with 160/160 travel

Other factors:
A lot of people seem to be having problems with Avinox thumb switches getting water in them (Amflow and Megamo) and both are pretty light builds and flexi frames (I'm nearly 100kg) ,
Spec Levo is expensive
Vala aluminium is heavy unless you step up to the carbon frames = expensive and you only get the 650Wh battery

In summary, super happy with my purchase and love the ride. Don't disregard it because it's not a boutique
 
CO rider here with Levo Gen 4.

Summer/Fall 2025 I did a number of long distance, high alpine rides, high vertical rides. The stock battery is mega. I have a range extender for "just in case" purposes but didn't really dig much into it's power. For giggles, I'll sometimes remove the stock battery and just ride the extender which completely changes the feel of the bike, making it feel more like a light weight e-bike both in terms of actual weight as well as a recalibrated motor feel.

It's a fantastic bike. And as others have stated, you'd have a big dealer service network if needed, although I thankfully haven't needed it.

Bonus to Specialized for OTA updates. The user interface and app is intuitive and very easy to adjust

My app shows that as of today, I have 640 miles, over 117,000 feet of elevation gain, 69 hrs of move time since July and I haven't had any mechanical issues.
 
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YokoOno said:
CO rider here with Levo Gen 4.

Summer/Fall 2025 I did a number of long distance, high alpine rides, high vertical rides. The stock battery is mega. I have a range extender for "just in case" purposes but didn't really dig much into it's power. For giggles, I'll sometimes remove the stock battery and just ride the extender which completely changes the feel of the bike, making it feel more like a light weight e-bike both in terms of actual weight as well as a recalibrated motor feel.

It's a fantastic bike. And as others have stated, you'd have a big dealer service network if needed, although I thankfully haven't needed it.

Bonus to Specialized for OTA updates. The user interface and app is intuitive and very easy to adjust

My app shows that as of today, I have 640 miles, over 117,000 feet of elevation gain, 69 hrs of move time since July and I haven't had any mechanical issues.
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Thanks!! That's so good to hear. Makes the decision harder though :)
 
Yeah, the Trek Rail is a worthy consideration. Levo and Shuttle AM as well. The. one difference if that the Shuttle feels like a shorter-travel bike. The DW Link has traditionally been a firmer feeling suspension than the others. Some like that and some prefer a more plush deeper feel. I'm used to DW Link, having owned 7-8 of them. For my trails, it is pretty ideal. I am usually on my home trails so I can ride from the house, but I sometimes go to Evergreen, Lair o the Bear, and Buffalo Creek (eMTB not currently allowed here). I avoid most others though Staunton would be awesome on an eMTB.
 
F4Flyer said:
Yeah, the Trek Rail is a worthy consideration. Levo and Shuttle AM as well. The. one difference if that the Shuttle feels like a shorter-travel bike. The DW Link has traditionally been a firmer feeling suspension than the others. Some like that and some prefer a more plush deeper feel. I'm used to DW Link, having owned 7-8 of them. For my trails, it is pretty ideal. I am usually on my home trails so I can ride from the house, but I sometimes go to Evergreen, Lair o the Bear, and Buffalo Creek (eMTB not currently allowed here). I avoid most others though Staunton would be awesome on an eMTB.
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Staunton is actually where I brought the demo Levo 4! There's a couple trails that aren't e-bike legal but you can still do 2.7k feet of elevation on the legal trails. I pretty much ride the same trails, lol. Big fan of techy XC terrain.
 
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